


Pat-A-Cake, Pat-A-Cake, Baker's Man

by excuseme_howdareyou



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alfred and Jason share a birthday, Angst and Feels, Birthday Cake, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Family Feels, Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Post-Episode: s12e23 All Along the Watchtower, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22943188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/excuseme_howdareyou/pseuds/excuseme_howdareyou
Summary: Alfred and Jason share a birthday, and they have their own birthday tradition.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 56





	Pat-A-Cake, Pat-A-Cake, Baker's Man

**Author's Note:**

> theawkwardvirgin: "For the prompt thing, I recently learned that Alfred and Jason share a birthday in some continuities (August 16th). Maybe Alfred on their first birthday after Jason’s death if you feel angsty or them celebrating together if you feel fluffy :) "

The date was August 16th, and it was Alfred’s birthday.

It was tradition, on Alfred’s birthday, that the beloved butler be given the day off and his ward and his ward’s wards spent the entire day attempting to spoil him only to somehow fail spectacularly. (It was always a disaster the years that Bruce attempted to bake a cake in the kitchen. When Dick first came to the household, he tried to ‘help’, but it hardly went much better) It was also tradition, on Alfred’s birthday, that he would shake his head at the boys’ antics, quickly and precisely clean up whatever mess was made (Young Master Dick once broke a lamp because he was trying to take over Alfred’s chore of dusting) before shepherding them off to the day’s activities.

When Jason joined the family, it was his birthday too, and a new tradition was born.

“-then, once the pudding is set, gently fold it into the batter,” Alfred instructed, placing the two bowls on the counter in front of Young Master Jason. With all the concentration of disarming a bomb, the young lad carefully picked up one bowl and transferred its contents into the other with a rubber spatula.

“Won’t that make the cake all soggy?” he asked.

“Not at all,” Alfred shook his head,“ The batter will bake the same, but the pudding will make the cake moist and sweet, and not dry and crumbly.”

And they would bake their own birthday cake.

It was nice to share a birthday, Alfred thought. Jason had a love for food, sadly born out of necessity, but given time Alfred had come to discover the boy’s love of cooking even more. With every lesson in the kitchen, his culinary skills and interest only grew. And on August 16th, their birthday present to each other would be a baking lesson in the kitchen, with a new cake every year.

The first year they made German Chocolate Cake with coconut pecan frosting because it was simple and Jason was still skittish around them.

The second year Jason woke Alfred up with a hug and a cookbook opened to a page for White Chocolate Raspberry cake with mascarpone frosting.

The third year Alfred woke up to an empty kitchen. The house was silent, even if not empty, but Master Bruce stayed far away from the kitchen. Both because he’d been banned from it entirely due to an incident with a charcoaled grilled cheese, and also because on this day the kitchen only served as a memory. It had been only been four months since-

… well, since their family of four went down to three.

“Happy birthday, Alfred,” Bruce’s smile was strained and brittle, but no less sincere in the way he gave him a one armed hug.

Master Dick remained in Bludhaven that year, still too furious with Bruce to even set foot near Gotham. He still called the Manor that day, to wish Alfred a happy birthday and an apology for not being there this year. Feigning nonchalance and donning the traditional English tenacious manner, Alfred assured him it was quite alright.

Tradition dictated that he had the day off today.

Tradition dictated that he bake a cake for Jason and himself today.

Tradition and instinct dictated that he follow at least some sort of routine this day, even if not… the birthday traditions.

But when Alfred went into the kitchen in attempt to bake some sort of cake, he decided, _’ No.’_

So he bundled himself up in his coat and his outdoor shoes, checked in with Master Bruce who busied himself with a case involving the Riddler, and decided to go visit his favorite cafe in the city. And just as he was about to step into the garage and start the car, the doorbell rang.

Now it took Alfred a good two minutes to reach the front door from the garage entrance, and by the time he got there, no one stood on the front stoop. All that remained was a little white box.

Curious, both he and Master Bruce brought the box inside after determining it to be safe. And when they opened it…

They stared down in wonder at six cupcakes, a little lopsided and the frosting applied unevenly. There was a handful of sprinkles thrown on a couple of them. One of them had a candle stuck deep into the frosting, sticking out bright and blue.

“I think…” Bruce took a deep breath,“ I need to go have a talk with a certain 12 year old.”

In response, Alfred shut the little white box and picked it up carefully -so carefully- and shot his ward a dark look. “You will do no such thing,” he said curtly and bundled the box up with his coat and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Bruce called after him.

“To go share my birthday cupcakes with the young man who made them.”


End file.
